Public Deeds: Gigs and Garlands

Monday

Mar 24, 2014 at 12:01 AM

On this day in 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez hit the Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, off the Port of Valdez, Alaska, slicing open its single hull and spilling at least 260,000 barrels of crude oil.

On this day in 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez hit the Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, off the Port of Valdez, Alaska, slicing open its single hull and spilling at least 260,000 barrels of crude oil.The oil spill was the largest at the time in the United States and constituted one of the greatest human environmental disasters.The effect on wildlife was devastating, with hundreds of thousands of water birds killed, along with otters, seals, bald eagles, orcas, and great numbers of salmon and herring.Exxon was widely criticized for responding to the spill slowly, and for operating a tanker with a small, rushed crew and without double-hull construction.Today's gig and garland will remain reverent to nature and stay clean.

GIG: To the West Central Florida Honor Flight Board for its role in canceling an honor flight that had been scheduled to depart from Lakeland Linder Regional Airport to Washington on April 1.An honor flight takes World War II veterans to see the World War II Memorial — the national monument in Washington honoring those who served in the war.The flights depart from and return to cities around the nation. Most are operated by regional boards, such as the West Central Florida's, reported The Ledger's Bill Rufty in an article March 7.The local hope was that an April 1 flight would be a popular follow-up to the initial Lakeland Linder flight Nov. 12, which took 79 veterans to Washington and returned them to a hearty celebration in Lakeland.New FAA workday limits for airplane crews, which took effect Jan. 1, would require a second crew to be stationed in Washington to run the flight back to Lakeland. That would increase cost, but would be manageable, said Gary Clark, Polk County's contact for honor flights. Polk does not have a seat on the 13-member West Central Florida Board. Fourteen flights in this region have been based at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport versus the one at Lakeland Linder.The regional board compiled 16 reasons against continuing honor flights from Lakeland. Among them were "not enough parking for a community event," "lack of permanent jetway," "airport not in a central location" and "loading airplane using scissor ramp dangerous." It listed six reasons in favor, including "ability to pay for flight," "large amount of volunteers" and "access to more press."Problems perceived by the board can be overcome. More importantly, the board should realize that the region spans more than just the areas directly east and west of the waters of Tampa Bay.The 79 veterans who flew out of Lakeland in November and the many more who hoped to do so April 1 testify to Lakeland Linder's good location and suitability. The board should work to get more veterans from this portion of the region on their way to Washington via Lakeland while they still can.

GARLAND: To a 12-year-old girl, Donavia Walker, who shows many around her in Winter Haven how effectively some physical differences can be overcome with a positive approach.Donavia, nicknamed Angel, became a starting player on the soccer team of Westwood Middle School in Winter Haven by the end of the season, reported The Ledger's Brady Fredericksen in an article Tuesday. Angel was born without arms."It's something that I have, something special about me," she told Fredericksen.What others do with their hands, Angel accomplishes with her feet. "I'm just like everyone else — just with my feet," she said."I like to play soccer because I like a sport that means something to me and that I can do easily," Angel said."They were amazed," said Westwood Dean of Students Anel Rivera. "For us, our whole lives we've had arms and it's just like no big deal. For her, that's the way she is. She's very nonchalant."Angel uses her feet and toes like hands and fingers to write, text, draw, eat and much more."She's very positive, she holds her head up high, she's very positive about everything and she's very confident," said Stephanie Dean, a paraprofessional at Westwood. "She's just like everybody else, everybody treats her like everybody else and they don't even realize that she doesn't have arms."